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The Government of the Republic of Serbia

In the service of citizens

By defending sovereignty, territorial integrity, we defend international law, UN Charter

Belgrade, 21 September 2020

First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Ivica Dacic said today that he is convinced that the defence of multilateralism begins at the national level, by protecting our vital interests and priorities, and that we believe that by defending our sovereignty and territorial integrity we are defending international law and the Charter of the United Nations (UN).

At the gathering "Multilateralism and International Security" organised by the Faculty of Security at the University of Belgrade, Dacic said that we cannot help but notice that the crisis of multilateralism is visible in the dimension of international security, where international organisations and institutions have difficulty coping effectively with traditional challenges, as well as with new, asymmetric threats.

The world is facing significant changes in the field of communication and technological development – new challenges such as terrorism, which are carried by non-traditional actors and informal groups, will certainly affect international security, said Dacic.

He added that the current crisis caused by the COVID-19 pandemic only confirmed the need to redefine the concept of national and collective security.

According to him, the COVID-19 pandemic changed not only international relations, but also our everyday life.

Many rules have been redefined, and special measures have been introduced in a large number of countries to restrict movement and travel, in order to establish a system for controlling the infection, which has also affected the reduction of bilateral and multilateral activities, he pointed out.

The First Deputy Prime Minister assessed that the current challenges we are facing are a good opportunity to remind ourselves of traditional threats to international security, such as armed conflicts, aggression and the illegitimate use of force, which was the primary motive for founding the UN.

We are proud to point out that the former Yugoslavia actively participated and contributed to the founding of the United Nations, and was among the first fifty countries that signed the UN Charter, said the First Deputy Prime Minister.

Dacic noted that the UN Security Council, as one of the most important UN bodies, has a primary role in maintaining international peace, but also in collective deterrence from the illegal use of armed force in international relations, and that it is obliged to base its actions on principles based on foundations of the UN.

He emphasised that we are still witnessing, due to conflicting interests on the international scene, occasional recourse to unilateral measures and actions that undermine and question the effectiveness of multilateralism and international cooperation mechanisms and lead to a crisis of legitimacy of institutions such as the UN.

This primarily refers to the use of armed force against sovereign states contrary to the basic principles of collective security, without the consent of the UN Security Council, he said.

Dacic reminded that Serbia felt the perniciousness of such an approach.

I will remind you that the decision on the use of armed force against the FR Yugoslavia in 1999 was made and executed without the consent of the UN Security Council, which not only violated the sovereign rights of our country, but also undermined the UN authority and seriously endangered its primary peacekeeping function. This set a precedent and created space for bypassing and neglecting the UN as a key framework for overcoming disagreements that can be a threat to peace, Dacic pointed out.

The First Deputy Prime Minister emphasised that aggression against the FR Yugoslavia must be a lesson for the future on the importance of consistent respect for the UN Charter and achieved standards in international public law, because countries like the Republic of Serbia must insist on consistent implementation of international public law and respect for the role of international organizations. preventing violations of agreed and agreed rules.

In the current circumstances, which have profoundly changed the world in which we live, the Republic of Serbia seeks to make a significant contribution to world and regional security, both bilaterally and multilaterally. We support the efforts of the United Nations in the field of promotion and preservation of peace and security, so Serbia joined the call of the UN Secretary General for a global ceasefire and cessation of all hostilities and conflicts during the COVID-19 pandemic, which is in the spirit of original civilization values since ancient times. to date, said the First Deputy Prime Minister.

He also said that it is very important to mention the strong commitment of the Republic of Serbia to continue to support global efforts in the fight against terrorism, primarily through the full implementation of the UN Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy and relevant UN Security Council resolutions, as well as To the Global Coalition in the Fight against ISIL.

Dacic also used this opportunity to reiterate that the Republic of Serbia remains committed to finding a compromise solution to the issue of Kosovo-Metohija that will ensure lasting peace and stability, and is ready to build a common future with the policy of peace and cooperation.